Wall mounted handrail for scaffolding

ABSTRACT

A handrail assembly for scaffolding comprising a first hand rail component and a second hand rail component, wherein said first hand rail component is slidingly connected to said second hand rail component; a first frame, wherein said first hand rail component is slidingly connected to said first frame; a first wall hook, wherein said first frame is slidingly connected to said first wall hook; a second frame, wherein said second hand rail component is slidingly connected to said second frame; and a second wall hook, wherein said second frame is slidingly connected to said second wall hook.

BACKGROUND

A need exists for a wall mounted hand rail for scaffolding that isadjustable.

A need exists for a wall mounted hand rail for scaffolding that can bequickly and easily assembled for use and disassembled for storage.

Embodiments described below address these needs.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The detailed description will be better understood in conjunction withthe accompanying drawings as follows:

FIG. 1 shows hand rail components in accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 2 shows a frame in accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 3 shows a wall hook in accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 4 shows two hand rail components slidingly connected to one anotherin accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 5 shows an embodiment comprising two hand rail components slidinglyconnected to one another and slidingly connected to two frames that areeach slidingly connected to a wall hook.

DESCRIPTION

In the following description, for the purpose of explanation, numerousspecific details are set forth in order to provide a thoroughunderstanding of the described embodiments. However, possibleembodiments are not limited to the examples given, and specific detailsfrom one embodiment can be different in another embodiment.

An example of a wall mounted handrail assembly for scaffolding cancomprise a first hand rail component and a second hand rail component, afirst frame and a second frame, and a first wall hook and a second wallhook. The first hand rail component and the second hand rail componentcan be slidingly connected to one another. The first hand rail componentcan be slidingly connected to the first frame and the first frame can beslidingly connected to the first wall hook. The second hand railcomponent can be slidingly connected to the second frame and the secondframe can be slidingly connected to the second wall hook.

FIG. 1 shows hand rail components 10 and 20 in accordance with anembodiment. Hand rail component 10 comprises hand rails 12, verticalmember 14, and horizontal member 16. In this example of a hand railcomponent 10, hand rails 12 are fixedly connected to vertical member 14and the bottom of vertical member 14 is fixedly connected to one end ofhorizontal member 16. Hand rail component 20 comprises hand rails 22,vertical member 24, and horizontal member 26. In this example of a handrail component 20, hand rails 22 are fixedly connected to verticalmember 24 and the bottom of vertical member 24 is fixedly connected toone end of horizontal member 26.

FIG. 2 shows a frame 30 in accordance with an embodiment. This exampleof a frame 30 comprises wall brace 32, vertical member 34, horizontalmember 36, and support member 38. The center of wall brace 32 is fixedlyconnected to the bottom end of vertical member 34 and vertical member 34is fixedly connected to an end of horizontal member 36. One end ofsupport member 38 is fixedly connected to either or both of verticalmember 34 and wall brace 32 at or near the junction of wall brace 32 andvertical member 34. The other end of support member 38 is fixedlyconnected to horizontal member 36 so that the three fixedly connectedmembers 34, 36, and 38 form a truss. Wall brace 32 serves to restrainthe frame 30 from rotation, keeping horizontal member 36 perpendicularto the wall.

FIG. 3 shows a wall hook 40 in accordance with an embodiment. In thisexample of a wall hook 40, vertical member 44 is fixedly connected atits top end to horizontal member 46. The opposite end of horizontalmember 46 is fixedly connected to the top end of short vertical member48.

FIG. 4 shows two hand rail components 10 and 20 slidingly connected toone another in accordance with an embodiment. Hand rail component 10comprises hand rails 12, vertical member 14, and horizontal member 16.In this example of a hand rail component 10, hand rails 12 are fixedlyconnected to vertical member 14 and the bottom of vertical member 14 isfixedly connected to one end of horizontal member 16. Hand railcomponent 20 comprises hand rails 22, vertical member 24, and horizontalmember 26. In this example of a hand rail component 20, hand rails 22are fixedly connected to vertical member 24 and the bottom of verticalmember 24 is fixedly connected to one end of horizontal member 26. Inthis example, the hand rails 12 and 22 comprise tubes and the outerdiameter of hand rail 12 is smaller than the inner diameter of hand rail22 allowing hand rail 12 to slide inside of hand rail 22. The distancethat hand rail 12 slides inside of hand rail 22 determines the overallcombined length of the joined hand rails 12 and 22. An example of howthese hand rails 12 and 22 can be locked together could comprise a pinthat passes through one or more tube walls of both hand rail 12 and handrail 22. FIG. 5 shows an example handrail assembly for scaffolding thatcomprises a first hand rail component 10 and a second hand railcomponent 20 that are slidingly connected to one another. The first handrail component 10 is slidingly connected to a first frame 30 and thefirst frame 30 is slidingly connected to a first wall hook 40. Thesecond hand rail component 20 is slidingly connected to a second frame30 that is slidingly connected to a second wall hook 40. First handrailcomponent 10 and second handrail component 20 respectively comprise handrails 12 and 22 (shown in FIG. 1) that are slidingly connected to oneanother. The handrail components 10 and 20 are slidingly connected totwo frames 30 that are each slidingly connected to a wall hook 40.

As shown in FIG. 1, hand rail component 10 comprises hand rails 12,vertical member 14, and horizontal member 16. In this example of a handrail component 10, hand rails 12 are fixedly connected to verticalmember 14 and the bottom of vertical member 14 is fixedly connected toone end of horizontal member 16. Hand rail component 20 comprises handrails 22, vertical member 24, and horizontal member 26. In this exampleof a hand rail component 20, hand rails 22 are fixedly connected tovertical member 24 and the bottom of vertical member 24 is fixedlyconnected to one end of horizontal member 26.

In the example shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, the hand rails 12 and 22comprise tubes and the outer diameter of hand rail 12 is smaller thanthe inner diameter of hand rail 22 allowing hand rail 12 to slide insideof hand rail 22. The distance that hand rail 12 slides inside of handrail 22 determines the overall combined length of the joined hand rails12 and 22. An example of how these hand rails 12 and 22 can be lockedtogether could comprise a pin or ball detent that passes through holesin the tube walls of hand rail 12 and hand rail 22.

These examples of a frames 30 comprise wall braces 32, vertical members34, horizontal members 36, and support members 38. The center of eachwall brace 32 is fixedly connected to the bottom end of each verticalmember 34 and each vertical member 34 is fixedly connected to an end ofeach horizontal member 36. One end of support member 38 is fixedlyconnected to either or both of vertical member 34 and wall brace 32 ator near the junction of wall brace 32 and vertical member 34. The otherend of support member 38 is fixedly connected to horizontal member 36 sothat the three fixedly connected members 34, 36, and 38 form a truss.Wall brace 32 serves to restrain the frame 30 from rotation, keepinghorizontal member 36 perpendicular to the wall. It should be appreciatedthat other embodiments may feature frame configurations that aredifferent than the one described above. For example, where theconnection between vertical member 34 and horizontal member 36 issufficiently rigid and strong, support member 38 may be omitted. Foranother example, where the connection between the wall and the wallmounted handrail assembly is adequate to prevent the frame's rotation,wall brace 32 may be omitted.

In the examples of frames and hand rail components shown in FIGS. 1 and2, horizontal members 36 of frames 30 and the horizontal members 16 and26 of the hand rail components 10 and 20 comprise tubes. The frames'horizontal members 36 have internal diameters are larger than externaldiameters of the hand rail components' horizontal members 16 and 26 andthe hand rail components' horizontal members 16 and 26 slide inside theframes' horizontal members 36 as shown in FIG. 5. The distance betweenhand rail components 10 and 20 and the wall on which the hand railassembly hangs can be adjusted according to how far the hand railcomponents' horizontal members 16 and 26 slide inside the frames'horizontal members 36. An example of how slidingly connected horizontalmembers 16 and 36 can be locked into position could comprise a pin orball detent that passes through one or more tube walls of bothhorizontal members 16 and 36. An example of how slidingly connectedhorizontal members 26 and 36 can be locked into position could comprisea pin or ball detent that passes through one or more tube walls of bothhorizontal members 26 and 36.

In this example of a wall hook 40, vertical member 44 is fixedlyconnected at its top end to horizontal member 46. The opposite end ofhorizontal member 46 is fixedly connected to the top end of a shortvertical member 48.

In the examples of wall hooks and frames shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, thevertical member 34 of frame 30 and the vertical member 44 of the wallhook 40 comprise tubes. In the example of a wall mounted hand railassembly shown in FIG. 5, the frames' vertical members 34 have internaldiameters are larger than external diameters of the wall hooks' verticalmembers 44 and the wall hooks' vertical members 44 slide inside theframes' vertical members 34. The distance between the top of a wall hook40 and the frame's horizontal member 36 can be adjusted according to howfar the wall hooks' vertical members 44 slide inside the frames'vertical members 34, so the height of the frames 30 and hand railcomponents 10 and 20 can thereby be adjusted to place hand rails 12 and22 at the required height. An example of how slidingly connectedvertical members 16 and 36 can be locked into position could comprise apin or ball detent that passes through one or more tube walls ofvertical members 34 and 44.

In the examples of hand rails shown in FIGS. 1, 4, and 5, the hand railsconnect slidingly to one another so that overall hand rail length isadjustable.

In the example of a wall mounted hand rail assembly shown in FIG. 5, thewall hooks 40 connect slidingly to frames 30 so that the distancebetween the top of the wall hook 40 and the bottom of the frame 30 isadjustable thereby making hand rail height adjustable.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, adjusting handrails for length alsodetermines the distance between frames 30. Hand rail components 10 and20 being slidingly connected to one another makes it possible to adjustdistance between frames and wall hooks and allows flexibility inavoiding gaps or obstructions when mounting wall hooks on walls.

In some embodiments, sliding connections can be achieved using nestedtubes comprising a larger tube and a smaller tube where the smallertube's outer diameter is less than the larger tube's inner diameterallowing the smaller tube to slide inside the larger tube to adjust thetubes' combined length. A pin that penetrates the walls of both thelarger tube and the smaller tube can lock the tubes together at a givendistance to fix the tubes' combined length.

Besides tubes, embodiments could comprise structural members havingvarious cross sections, including various hollow structural sections andbeam profiles, that could form a sliding connection to adjust theircombined length.

While these embodiments have been described with emphasis on theembodiments, it should be understood that within the scope of theappended claims, the embodiments might be practiced other than asspecifically described herein.

1. A handrail assembly for scaffolding comprising: a first hand railcomponent and a second hand rail component, wherein said first hand railcomponent is slidingly connected to said second hand rail component; afirst frame, wherein said first hand rail component is slidinglyconnected to said first frame; a first wall hook, wherein said firstframe is slidingly connected to said first wall hook; a second frame,wherein said second hand rail component is slidingly connected to saidsecond frame; and a second wall hook, wherein said second frame isslidingly connected to said second wall hook.
 2. The handrail assemblyfor scaffolding of claim 1 wherein: said first hand rail componentcomprises a first hand rail, a first hand rail component vertical memberhaving a bottom, and a first hand rail component horizontal member 16having a fixed end and a sliding end; wherein said first hand rail 12 isfixedly connected to said first hand rail component vertical member 14and said first hand rail component vertical member's 14 bottom isfixedly connected to said first hand rail component horizontal member's16 fixed end; wherein said second hand rail component 20 comprises asecond hand rail 22, a second hand rail component vertical member 24having a bottom, and a second hand rail component horizontal member 26having a fixed end and a sliding end; wherein said second hand rail 22is fixedly connected to said second hand rail component vertical member24, and said second hand rail component vertical member's 24 bottom isfixedly connected to said second hand rail component horizontal member's26 fixed end.
 3. The handrail assembly for scaffolding of claim 2wherein: said first hand rail comprises a first hand rail structuralmember having a cross section; said second hand rail comprises a secondhand rail structural member having a cross section; wherein said secondhand rail structural member's cross section interfaces with said firststructural member's cross section such that a sliding connection isformed between said first structural member and said second structuralmember.
 4. The handrail assembly for scaffolding of claim 3 wherein:Said second hand rail structural member comprises a hollow tubular crosssection that has a hollow interior; and Said first hand rail structuralmember's cross section fits inside of said second hand rail structuralmember's hollow interior to form said sliding connection between saidfirst hand rail structural member and said second hand rail structuralmember.
 5. The handrail assembly for scaffolding of claim 4 wherein:Said first structural member's cross section is generally shaped like anellipse; and Said second structural member's cross section is generallyshaped like an ellipse.
 6. The handrail assembly for scaffolding ofclaim 4 wherein: Said first structural member's cross section isgenerally shaped like a polygon; and Said second structural member'scross section is generally shaped like a polygon.
 7. The handrailassembly for scaffolding of claim 5 wherein: Said first structuralmember's cross section is generally shaped like a circle; and Saidsecond structural member's cross section is generally shaped like acircle.
 8. The handrail assembly for scaffolding of claim 4 furthercomprising a fastener wherein: said fastener passes through said firsthand rail's tube wall 12 and said fastener passes through said secondhand rail's tube wall, thereby locking said first hand rail and saidsecond hand rail 22 together.
 9. The handrail assembly for scaffoldingof claim 1 wherein: said first frame 30 comprises first frame wall brace32, a first frame vertical member 34, and a first frame horizontalmember 36; wherein: said first frame vertical member has a bottom endand a top end; and said first frame horizontal member has a wall end anda hand rail end; and said first frame wall brace 32 is fixedly connectedto said first frame vertical member's 34 bottom end; and said firstframe vertical member's 34 bottom end is fixedly connected to firstframe horizontal member's 36 wall end; and said second frame 30comprises second frame wall brace 32, a second frame vertical member 34,and a second frame horizontal member 36; wherein: said second framevertical member has a bottom end and a top end; and said second framehorizontal member has a wall end and a hand rail end; and said secondframe wall brace 32 is fixedly connected to said second frame verticalmember's 34 bottom end; and said second frame vertical member's 34bottom end is fixedly connected to second frame horizontal member's 36wall end.
 10. The handrail assembly for scaffolding of claim 9 whereinsaid first frame wall brace 32 engages said wall and serves to restrainsaid first frame 30 from rotation, thereby keeping said first framehorizontal member 36 perpendicular to said wall, and said second framewall brace 32 engages said wall and serves to restrain said second frame30 from rotation, thereby keeping said second frame horizontal member 36perpendicular to said wall.
 11. The handrail assembly for scaffolding ofclaim 9 further comprising first frame support member 38; wherein firstframe support member 38 comprises a wall end and a hand rail end; andsaid first frame support member's 38 wall end is fixedly connected tosaid first frame vertical member near said first frame vertical member'sbottom end; and said first frame support member's hand rail end isfixedly connected to said first frame horizontal member's hand rail end,such that said first frame horizontal member, said first frame verticalmember, and said first frame support member are fixedly connected to oneanother to form a truss; and further comprising second frame supportmember 38; wherein said second frame support member 38 comprises a wallend and a hand rail end; and said second frame support member's 38 wallend is fixedly connected to said second frame vertical member near saidsecond frame vertical member's bottom end; and said second frame supportmember's hand rail end is fixedly connected to said second framehorizontal member's hand rail end, such that said second framehorizontal member, said second frame vertical member, and said secondframe support member are fixedly connected to one another to form atruss.
 12. The handrail assembly for scaffolding of claim 8 wherein saidfastener comprises a pin.
 13. The handrail assembly for scaffolding ofclaim 1 wherein said first wall hook comprises a long vertical firstwall hook member having a top end, a horizontal first wall hook memberhaving a first end and a second end, and a short vertical first wallhook member having a top end; wherein the long vertical first wall hookmember's top end is fixedly connected to the horizontal first wall hookmember's first end and the short vertical first wall hook member's topend is fixedly connected to the horizontal first wall hook member'ssecond end; and said second wall hook comprises a long vertical secondwall hook member having a top end, a horizontal second wall hook memberhaving a first end and a second end, and a short vertical second wallhook member having a top end; wherein the long vertical second wall hookmember's top end is fixedly connected to the horizontal second wall hookmember's first end and the short vertical second wall hook member's topend is fixedly connected to the horizontal second wall hook member'ssecond end.
 14. The handrail assembly for scaffolding of claim 1wherein: said first hand rail component comprises a first hand rail, afirst hand rail component vertical member having a bottom, and a firsthand rail component horizontal member 16 having a fixed end and asliding end; wherein said first hand rail 12 is fixedly connected tosaid first hand rail component vertical member 14 and said first handrail component vertical member's 14 bottom is fixedly connected to saidfirst hand rail component horizontal member's 16 fixed end; wherein saidsecond hand rail component 20 comprises a second hand rail 22, a secondhand rail component vertical member 24 having a bottom, and a secondhand rail component horizontal member 26; wherein said second hand rail22 is fixedly connected to said second hand rail component verticalmember 24, and said second hand rail component vertical member's 24bottom is fixedly connected to said second hand rail componenthorizontal member's 26 fixed end; wherein said first frame 30 comprisesfirst wall brace 32, a first frame vertical member 34, and a first framehorizontal member 36; wherein: said first frame vertical member has abottom end and a top end; and said first frame horizontal member has awall end and a hand rail end; and said first wall brace 32 is fixedlyconnected to said first frame vertical member's 34 bottom end; and saidfirst frame vertical member's 34 bottom end is fixedly connected tofirst frame horizontal member's 36 wall end; and wherein said secondframe 30 comprises second wall brace 32, a second frame vertical member34, and a second frame horizontal member 36; wherein: said second framevertical member has a bottom end and a top end; and said second framehorizontal member has a wall end and a hand rail end; and said secondwall brace 32 is fixedly connected to said second frame verticalmember's 34 bottom end; and said second frame vertical member's 34bottom end is fixedly connected to second frame horizontal member's 36wall end; said first wall hook comprises a long vertical first wall hookmember having a top end and a bottom end, a horizontal first wall hookmember having a first end and a second end, and a short vertical firstwall hook member having a top end; wherein the long vertical first wallhook member's top end is fixedly connected to the horizontal first wallhook member's first end and the short vertical first wall hook member'stop end is fixedly connected to the horizontal first wall hook member'ssecond end; and said second wall hook comprises a long vertical secondwall hook member having a top end and a bottom end, a horizontal secondwall hook member having a first end and a second end, and a shortvertical second wall hook member having a top end; wherein the longvertical second wall hook member's top end is fixedly connected to thehorizontal second wall hook member's first end and the short verticalsecond wall hook member's top end is fixedly connected to the horizontalsecond wall hook member's second end.
 15. The handrail assembly forscaffolding of claim 14 wherein: said first hand rail comprises a firsthand rail structural member having a cross section; said second handrail comprises a second hand rail structural member having a crosssection; wherein said second hand rail structural member's cross sectioninterfaces with said first structural member's cross section such that asliding connection is formed between said first structural member andsaid second structural member.
 16. The handrail assembly for scaffoldingof claim 15 wherein: Said second hand rail structural member comprises atube having a hollow interior; and Said first hand rail structuralmember fits inside of said second hand rail structural member's hollowinterior to form said sliding connection between said first hand railstructural member and said second hand rail structural member.
 17. Thehandrail assembly for scaffolding of claim 16 wherein the combinedlength of the slidingly connected first hand rail and second handrailcan be adjusted by sliding said first hand rail structural member withinsaid second hand rail structural member.
 18. The handrail assembly forscaffolding of claim 17 wherein: said first frame vertical member's 34top end is slidingly connected to said long vertical first wall hookmember's bottom end, said first frame horizontal member's 36 hand railend is slidingly connected to said first hand rail component horizontalmember's 26 sliding end, wherein said second frame vertical member's 34top end is slidingly connected to said long vertical second wall hookmember's bottom end, and wherein said second frame horizontal member's36 hand rail end is slidingly connected to said second hand railcomponent horizontal member's 26 sliding end.
 19. The handrail assemblyfor scaffolding of claim 18 wherein said first frame vertical member'stop end 34 is slidingly connected to said long vertical first wall hookmember's bottom end, and said second frame vertical member's top end 34is slidingly connected to said long vertical second wall hook member'sbottom end.
 20. The handrail assembly for scaffolding of claim 19further comprising: a removable handrail fastener that locks said firsthandrail and said second handrail where they are slidingly connectedsuch that said first handrail will not slide in relation to said secondhandrail; a removable first wall hook fastener that locks said firstlong vertical wall hook member and said first frame vertical memberwhere they are slidingly connected such that said first long verticalwall hook member will not slide in relation to said first frame verticalmember; a removable second wall hook fastener that locks said secondlong vertical wall hook member and said second frame vertical memberwhere they are slidingly connected such that said second long verticalwall hook member will not slide in relation to said second framevertical member; a removable first frame fastener that locks said firsthand rail component horizontal member and said first frame horizontalmember where they are slidingly connected such that said first framehorizontal member will not slide in relation to said first hand railcomponent horizontal member; and a removable second frame fastener thatlocks said second hand rail component horizontal member and said secondframe horizontal member where they are slidingly connected such thatsaid second frame horizontal member will not slide in relation to saidsecond hand rail component horizontal member.